Rail-joint.



l. C. PEPPERS.

RAI. JOINT.

APPLICATION FILED APR.29, Isls.

l,167,109. Patented Jan. 4, 1916.

A TTOR/VEVS JERRY ooATTs PEPPERS, 0E BEAUMONT, TEXAS.

RAIL-JOINT.

Specification of Letters Iatent.

Patented Jan. 4, 1916.

Application filed April 29. 1915. Serial No. 24,667,

T 0 all whoa?, t may concern Be it known that I, JERRY C. PEPPERS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Beaumont, in the county of Jefferson and .State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail- Joints, of which the following is a speci- Hcation.

This invention relates toV an improved rail joint, and one of the principal objects of the invention is to provide an improved joint employing means without the use of bolts for securely connecting adjacent rail ends together and holding them in place against longitudinal and spreading movement.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved rail joint in the nature of a Hsh plate and wedge bar adapted to coact with each other and with a rail chair in securing the rail ends in position, the fish plate being provided with a number of lugs adapted to engage through openings provided in the adjacent webs of the rail ends, for maintaining the rails against longitudinal displacement, the wedge bai and fish plate being so constructed as to counteract any tendency of the rail chair to spread.

A still further object is to provide such a rail joint in which the fish plate, after having been put in position and locked in place, cannot be removed and entirely disconnected from the rail ends, even after removal of the wedge bar, so that removal of the rail chair itself will be necessary before the rail ends can be. disconnected from each other.

A further object is to provide a rail joint of the class described which will be eX- tremely simple, durable, eliicient in operation. and inexpensive to manufacture.

f'itli these and other objects in view which will become apparent as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which like characters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several figures, of which- Figure l represents a view in perspective of a rail joint constructed according to my invention. Fig. 2 represents a view in section taken horizontally on the plane indicated by the line 2-2 of Fig. l. Fig. 3 represents a view in section taken transversely longitudinal edge with an overhangingv flange 6. The latter is extended vertically at its upper edge to provide a Harige 7. The Harige 6 overlies and engages against the base flanges of the rail ends on one side of the joint, while the Harige 7 abuts against the webs of the rails on the same side, and at its upper edge bears against the ball of the rails, as clearly indicated in Figs. l and 3. Along the opposite side of base 5 of the chair, is provided an overhanging Harige 8 'which partially overhangs and engages against the outer portion of the base Hanges of the rail ends on the opposite side of the joint. Ther inner edge 9 of Harige 8 is preferably disposed in a vertical plane.

A iisli plate 10 is provided, and bears at its lower edge against the base Harige of the rail ends adjacent the web of the rails, and at its upper edge bears under the ball portions of the rail ends. At its inner face, as will be noted, this fish plate rests against the web portions of the rails. Plate 10 is provided adjacent each end with a pair of laterally extending lugs 11, adaptedto be eX- tended through openings 12 in the web portions of the rails and to project into recesses 4 provided in the vertical Harige 7. This arrangement is clearly shown in Fig. 2, and it is evident that by so engaging through the webs of the rails, said rails will be prevented from shifting longitudinally with respect to each other and with respect tothe rail chair. The Hsh plate 10 is tapered longitudinally, being thicker at one end than the other, and is also tapered transversely, being thicker at its upper portion than at its lower portion. The fish plate is maintained in place through the medium ofa wedge. bar indicated at 13. The latter iS ta-y pered longitudinally as indicated in Fig. 2, and at its lower edge 14 is sloped to a degree to conform with the slope of the upper face of the base Harige of the rail ends. The

inner edge 15 of the wedge bar is slightly beveled as indicated in Fig. 3, to conform with the outer beveled surface of the fish plate. The wedge bar is adapted to be driven in longitudinally of the rails between the fish plate, 10 and the overhanging flange 8 of the rail chair. lVhen in position the Wedge bar abuts along its outer surface at the lower portion of said bar, against the flange 8. This wedge bar is Provided with an over-hanging shoulder or flange 16 which engages upon the upper surface of the flange 8 near` the inner edge of the latter. r1`he fish plate 10 along its upper edge is provided with an outwardly extending flange lwhich project ybeyond the adjacent lateral edge of the all of the rail ends and overhangs and engages upon the upper edge of the wedge bar 13. By thus providing the wedge bar with an oserhanging chair fiange engaging shoulder, any tendency of the chair to buckle along its central longitudinal line, incident to the strain placed upon the chair by insertion of the wedge bar. will be counteracted by the engagement of the overhanging shoulder upon the upper edge ofthe flange 8. By having the fish plate provided with the overhanging flange 17, the wedge bar is maintained against any lateral rocking movement, and at the same time the fish plate is forced firmly into engagement with the web and ball portions of the rail ends.

' The overhanging flange 8 is provided at ene end in its inner edge, with a recess indicated at 19, and in which a resilient detent or keeper 2O is disposed. This detent or keeper is secured at its inner end to the flange 8, in any suitable manner, and extends with the inner face of the detent, that is, the face nearest the web of the adjacent rail, flush with the inner face of the flange 8. The recess is of such dimensions that the detent at its outer end may be moved laterally whereby to withdraw the inwardly extending toothed portion 21 formed at the 'outer end of the detent, far enough from the path of the wedge bar, to allow the latter to be inserted between the fish plate 10 and the overhanging flange 8. This detent as soon as the bar is in place, springs back into position,in such manner that the toothed portion 21 engages against-the larger end of the wedge bar, and thus maintains the latter against accidental retractive longitudinal movement relatively to the remainder ofthe joint.4 The length of the lugs 11 is so proportioned, that should the wedge bar be entirely removed and the fish plate shifted laterally away from the rail webs, from the full into the dotted line position shown in Fig. 3, to assume a position adjacent the flange 8, the lugs will still extend for a short distance into the openings through the web portion of the ralls, so as to prevent removal of the fish plate, and at the same time still connect the rail ends together. In order, therefore, to remove this fish plate entirely it is necessary that the rail chair be shifted longitudinally with respect to the rails until it has cleared the end of the fish plate.

In assembling the device, the rail chair is slipped onto one of the ends of,the rails and these ends are then connected together by means of the fish plate, with the lugs 11 projecting into, but not entirely through the openings in the web portions of the rails. The chair is then shifted so as to assume a position corresponding with the position of the fish plate relatively to the rail ends, that is in such position that the adjacent rail ends both rest upon the chair, and said chair is then spiked or otherwise secured to the tie upon which it rests. As indicated clearly in Fig. 1` the lateral edges of the chair may, if desired, be provided with recesses 22 foi the reception of the spikes 23. The fish plate and chair having been put in place, the detent is then shifted outwardly and the wedge bar driven home, so as to lock the fish plate against the rails inthe manner already set out. lVhen the wedge bar is driven home, the detent springs back into place and prevents retraction of the wedge bar.

In Fig. 5 I have represented a method whereby the adjacent ends of a broken rail may be readily spliced. In the figure the parts are exactly the same as has been set out, with the exception that the fish plate is devoid of the lugs 11, being entirely smooth on its inner face. The fish plate is indicated in the modification by the numeral 10a, the remaining portions of the device being indicatedby the numerals already given them. In making such a splice, the wedge bar 13 will by engaging and wedging the fish plate against the adjacent broken rail endsmaintain them temporarily against lateral displacement, until a permanent joint can be made.

Although I have described the preferred embodiment of my invention, I may desire to make such changes in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts thereof, as do not depart from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

1. A rail joint comprising a chair having a base portion upon which the base flanges of adjacent rail ends are adapted to rest, said base portion being provided along one edge with an overhanging flange engaging upon the base flanges of the rails on one side of said rails, said flange being extended and provided with a vertically extending flange engaging against the web, and ball portions of the rail ends on the same side of the joint, an overhanging flange provided along theopposite edge of the rail las? chair and overhanging; partially,Y the oppo site portions of the base flanges of tlieraii ends, a fish plate of a longitinilinally and transversely tapering formation, and being provided adjacentits ends viti: pairs "it laterally extending ings, said i" to be engaged through openinfft in the veli portions of the, rail ends and tended into recesses proif'ided in said v flange, said 'lisl'i plate Ybeing provi( e along its upper edge with an, overlia ng flange, a Wedge, bar adapted to be ex led between the isli plate and the seeond overnanging Hang' if the rail chair, and being provided with an inner inclined 'face adapted to engage against the outer face of the fish plate, said bar adapted to be engaged between tlie overlianging flange provided on the fisli plate and the loase flanges of the rail ends, a shoulder provided on the Wedge'bar and engaging againsttlie upper portion of the second overhangingv chair llange, and a spring detent Carried by the chair and adapted to engage said wedge bar, for preventing accidental removal thereof, said lugs being of a length to engage, within the openings in the rail Webs when the fish plate is moved laterally into engagement with tlie'said second overlianging chair flan e, wherebyr to prevent removal of the tisli plate from the rail ends prior to the removal of tile Chair.

2. A rail joint including a rail oliair having an Werhanging flange and idapted to receive rail ends, a isli plate provided vvitli eng `ging elements adapted to be extended .through ojjaenings in the 'web portions of tlie rail ends, 'a wedge bar adapted to i" gaged between the fish plate and overli O ing flange for maintaining the former in position, said engaging elements loeing of suoli a length as to engage partially within the openiiigs in the web portions of 'the rail upon removal of the wedge oar and lateral vmovement of the isli plate into en gagement with said overlianging flange.

3. ln a rail joint, the Combination with raill eliair having an (werlxanging base i ein; fla of a sli' plate, and a wedge oar, said Wedge nar adapted to be engaged between tile lisli plate and overliann'ing flange for binding the former into eng'idrenient vvitlil adjacent rail ends, said 'oar being provided with. an overlianging shoulder envag'ing against the oveflianging z'liair llana said plate lie-ing provided with an overlianging shoulder engaging aeainst tile said wedge loa r.

Il, ln a rail joint, a chair adapted to re oei e adjacent rail ends and being provided with a flange overlianging the baseanges of the rail ends, a tisli plate engaged against the adjacent rail ends and being provided with an outwardly extending flange disposed adjacent the ball portiens of the rail, ends, and a wedge bar :if-rang; l between the ontivardlv extending;- flange and the ly e llanges of tlie rail ends and engaging against the sli plate and said overliangingg flange.

5. In a rail joint, a chair adaj1 ted to receive adjacent rail ends and being provided with a flange overlianging the base langes of the rail ends, a sli plate engaged against the adjacent rail ends and being provided -with an nntwardly extending flange disposed adjacent the ball portions'oi3 theraii ends, a Wedge bar arranged between the outwardly extending flange and the base,

flanges of the rail ends and engaging againsty tlie tisl'i plate. and said overhanging flange, and an outwardly extending nan-ge provided en the wedge bar and engaging Yupon tlie overlianging liange of the chair.

JERRY COATTS PEPPERS.

Witnesses t ANnEnsoN, l". H. JENKiNs. 

